Jens Eckhardt, member of the Management Board of Sparkasse MagdeBurg, has been a member of the Emperor Otto Cultural Foundation’s Board of Trustees for several years. He assesses the significance of the Kaiser Otto Prize as a European award that honours people who are committed to peace, cohesion and liberal values as follows:
“Europe can only assert itself globally against the major power blocs of the USA, China and Russia as a unit. In this respect, it was important in the past and it is particularly important for the future to find award winners who stand for a united Europe and promote this cohesion through their work.
With Lisa Batiashvili and Igor Levit, we have two younger musicians who are actively committed to peace and against anti-Semitism through their work. At a time when most of humanity is longing for peace, this nomination is a clear sign.”
Picture credits: © Sparkasse MagdeBurg
